Huntsville gazette., 1887-08-13
HOW PILOTS ARE MADE.
Ordeals Through winch They Must Pass
Before Receiving License.


Ordoais Through winch They Must Pass
Before Receiving License.
Pilots do not grow, they are made;
and long. dreary task it is with some
of them in the making. A man may
have been an excellent seaman, SER
viceable mate, or even q good sea cap
tain, and then make a very bad pilot.
This sea life, knowledge and instinct,
other things being equal, make him a
better pilot; but the intricacies of port
navigation require brighter, quicker,
keener comprehension than that neces-
sary for handling ship where there IS
abundant sea-room. The rights of in
Vulnerable interests, the vagaries OF
tide and current, the cver-changing
character of obstruction or open ways.
all require special training and years OF
most arduous requirement. But the
original pilot material is stumbled up
on, not made. A ''cub," or boy"
as the apprentice is called, whether
fourteen or forty years of age, may
have come from any landwise calling
with cruise or two at sea to his adj
vantage; he may have been the most
wretched of seamen; or even the most
excellent of ships officers tired of long
cruises, or with some other strong mo-
tive for compacter life anchorage. But
wise or ignorant, old or young, he
must serve a rigorous apprenticeship of
three years. This is arbitrary, even
though he became a capable pilot in six
months. Each boats crew consists of
a boat-keeper, six of these prentice
pilots and cook. The ambitious APP
prentice, as in any other vocation, is
alert for every opportunity to advance
himself in actual knowledge and skill,
and the old heads in the business easily
select the man who will first get his
license in that man who is ready to en-
dure any hardship. or assume any
hazard in the line of duty, for pure
gaining in knowledge or skill. For
awhile he may get nothing but his food
for his services, though this is in
frequent, the usual wages ranging
from $15 to S18 per month
After the three years term has
expired. he may apply for his pilot
license, or he may already have be-
come a boat-keeper. If SO, he has Sc
cured an advance in wages to about
$25 per month, and has got a long way
toward a place in his vocation; for
these boat-keepers are practically the
sailing masters of the pilot-boats, and
they are never expected to leave their
craft day or night SC long as they hold
this responsible position. Previously,
as one of the apprentice crew, he has
only been required, on duty with the
regular relays of two, to take his turn
at rowing the pilot from the pilot-boat
to the incoming or from the outgoing
vessel, though this is no sinecurc. In
deed this is ut times really the most
perilous of all duties he may ever be
compelled to assume. In applying for
his license as pilot, he is chung up
on the blackboard" that is, his appli-
cation is buletined at the Commission
ers' office for thirty days. Then he is
under fire Of scrutiny and objection As
to fitness, and complaint as to charac-
ter. if any of these faults exist If he
passes this trial safely, he then meets
the ordeal of a regular examination by
the full board of Pilot Commissioners.
to which are added two old sea-dog
pilots selected for their peculiar apt
ness in tripping up possibly unworthy
applicants. Nor does he now become
full-fedged pilot. He still serves
probationary term of two years as
a journeyman. All this time he IS
subjected to the strictest espionage
and criticism upon his work, and is
given charge Of only vessels of the
lghtest draught. Indeed all licenses
are based upon certain draught, and a
journeyman' license will not entitle
him to pilot vessel drawing upwards
of from sixteen to eighteen feet; SO
that at best his progress is painfully
slow After he becomes full pilot
any inetficiency or the slightest mis-
hap is liable to cause his suspension or
the withdrawal of his license alto
gether, while whether novice or pilot
of a quarter century's actual service,
his license must be renewed each year,
and then only on absolutely unim-
peachable good standing.-Edgar L.
Waken,an, in 81. Louis Globe Democrat.